Saturday, October 7th has been designated “Caribbean Day of Giving”. On that day, the Caribbean Diaspora and friends of the Caribbean will be taking action in the form of a radiothon to support Caribbean countries affected by the recent hurricanes Irma and Maria.

Caribbean Day of Giving is a full day of concentrated efforts by the Diaspora and friends of the Caribbean to donate to relief efforts in the affected Caribbean countries. The radiothon will feature notable interviews, music and updates from affected countries.

During the radiothon, appeals will be made for individuals to give through various giving platforms, including direct calls, text messages and internet. Opportunities for individuals wishing to donate in-kind goods, will also be featured. Donations will be made to the Caribbean Tourism Organization Relief Fund 501(c)3, an arm of the tourism agency Caribbean Tourism Organization, which has already raised over $12,000 in response to the disasters.

The radiothon will be a full day event and incorporate programmers on WVIP-FM (93.5), as well as other participating stations in the Tri-State.

“This is an excellent opportunity for all of us in the Diaspora to come together to help these countries severely impacted by these Hurricanes as well as to demonstrate the collective will and power of our Caribbean Diaspora community”, said Mrs. Akelia Lawrence-Maitland, Jamaica Diaspora Advisory Board Member to the Northeast USA.

“To this end, we are extending an open invitation for all radio programmers, community groups and businesses to become a part of this most important day”, she concluded.

The relief efforts on the Caribbean Day of Giving will benefit the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA), which is the official body coordinating relief efforts to the various Caribbean countries affected by the hurricanes. CDEMA works with the disaster management agencies in the various countries and will prioritize action in partnership with the countries. They are also officially affiliated with CARICOM.

The Caribbean Day of Giving is being organized by a Caribbean Diaspora Disaster Relief Coalition, representing and promoting a collective Caribbean Diaspora response to the disaster relief. The coalition, consisting of various community leaders, was organized to urgently respond to the current disasters and develop a long-term structure.

The goal is to directly develop and coordinate relief activities while co-sharing other credible initiatives. Additional Caribbean Day of Giving information may be found on www.caribbeandayofgiving.com.